标签： Trinidad and Tobago

The Cedros cricket community gathered in solemn tribute yesterday to honor Rashme Deoajit, a prominent local cricketer whose life was tragically cut short by violence. Mourners wearing cricket uniforms raised their bats in a final salute during the emotional funeral service for the 28-year-old, who was cremated in her cricket attire at Mosquito Creek’s Shore of Peace.

Deoajit, affectionately known as “Pumpkin” among her loved ones, was discovered murdered at her Granville residence on Tuesday. Contrary to initial speculation about stab wounds, autopsy results confirmed her cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head combined with strangulation. Investigators believe the fatal attack occurred mere hours before her body was found by a family member.

Eulogist Carina Ramkissoon painted a vivid portrait of Deoajit as a multidimensional personality who embodied passion both on and off the cricket field. Beyond her athletic prowess, Deoajit served as the emotional anchor for her family, renowned for her nurturing nature and exceptional skill in preparing medicinal bush and fish teas for ailing community members. Her talents extended to culinary arts, fishing, card games, and spirited singing and dancing that often dominated gatherings.

Remarkably, Deoajit demonstrated practical versatility as well, capable of handling home repairs including roof maintenance, plumbing, and landscaping. Her distinctive humor manifested in characteristically warm greetings where she would approach loved ones to place flowers behind their ears.

Geraldine George, physical education teacher at Cedros Secondary School, highlighted Deoajit’s instrumental role in securing championship titles for the school’s girls’ cricket team between 2014 and 2016. “She was not only like a team member, she was like a sister to us and a daughter,” George stated while surrounded by grieving teammates.

The ceremony included sobering reflections on community safety from notable attendees including former MP and government minister Glenn Ramadharsingh, who emphasized the importance of recognizing warning signs in interpersonal relationships. He urged vigilance regarding behavioral red flags such as unexplained rage, jealousy, extreme sadness, or signs of mental health challenges among those with access to personal spaces.

Police reports indicate Deoajit had been socializing with a suspect at her home prior to her death, with witnesses noting subsequent arguing between the two. The tragic discovery occurred when her brother, receiving no response to repeated calls, entered through a window to find her lifeless in a bloodied bedroom.

As the community grapples with this devastating loss, Ramkissoon’s words resonated with mourners: “Although it’s difficult today to see beyond the sorrow, may looking back in memory help to comfort you tomorrow.”

Across Trinidad, from the capital Port of Spain to communities in Central, South, and East regions, a silent infrastructure crisis is endangering citizens’ daily lives. Pedestrians navigate a hazardous landscape of broken pavements, gaping manholes, and non-existent walkways, creating what residents describe as an ongoing public safety emergency.

The human toll is both visible and painful. Farida Khan, 62, recounted her terrifying plunge into an uncovered manhole near her Enterprise home. “I just fell right in,” she said, describing how she stood crying for help in contaminated water filled with garbage. Her diabetic condition made the injuries particularly concerning. Adding to the danger, non-functional street lights have left the area in perpetual darkness despite repeated reports to authorities.

This pattern repeats nationwide. Months after Khan’s accident, her 67-year-old brother suffered severe injuries from a fall on the same degraded pavement, requiring multiple stitches for deep cuts to his head and legs. Richard Gokool, a vendor from Longdenville, narrowly avoided catastrophe when his bicycle pitched into an open manhole on Old Southern Main Road. “What if I had pitched in front of a vehicle?” he questioned, highlighting the absence of compensation mechanisms for infrastructure-related injuries.

The crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. Elderly residents, children, and persons with disabilities face heightened risks when accessing essential services. Kerwyn Holder, who gained new perspective after a biking accident left him on crutches, emphasized that “pavements are life for the ordinary people” and directly impact living standards.

Business owners like Chantelle Edward from Montrose acknowledge their role in pavement damage but stress that solutions remain elusive despite years of complaints. “They are unsightly and dangerous,” she stated, describing how some communities have begged for basic pavements for decades.

In urban centers, the situation similarly deteriorates. Bank employees abandon high heels to avoid tripping on broken surfaces, while fast food workers describe walking in Port of Spain as “a miserable experience.” Beyond physical safety concerns, dark spaces created by faulty lighting increase opportunities for criminal activity.

From Las Lomas to Cunupia, residents emphasize this transcends political blame games. Security officer Sherry Francis leaves for work at 3:30 a.m. in dangerous darkness, while her young children cannot walk to school safely due to missing infrastructure. As one resident summarized, functional pavements represent more than concrete—they “connect us to civilization” through safe access to transportation, education, and essential services.

The Trinidad and Tobago government has initiated a nationwide infrastructure rehabilitation program targeting deteriorated road networks and public utilities. Works Minister Jearlean John revealed that the Highways Division maintains systematic oversight through biweekly inspections across all eight operational districts, prioritizing interventions based on deterioration severity, traffic volume, and potential risks to public safety.

Minister John detailed specific maintenance challenges, identifying approximately 113 defective manhole covers and over 223 linear meters of damaged pavement along the Southern Main Road corridor alone. The ministry is currently prioritizing procurement of materials for comprehensive repairs while maintaining inventories of missing bridge handrails for future installation as funding becomes available.

Simultaneously, Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath announced an aggressive street light restoration initiative following a comprehensive national audit. The audit revealed widespread aging and outdated lighting infrastructure inherited from previous administrations. Padarath credited newly appointed T&TEC General Manager Ian Ramrattan, who rejoined the organization from Canada’s power sector, with driving rapid improvements in utility infrastructure.

The government acknowledges inherited challenges including outdated power lines causing recent outages in Central and East Coast regions. Officials emphasize shifting focus from loss-yielding mega projects to practical infrastructure upgrades, with both ministries coordinating technical support and funding allocation for nationwide improvements.

Despite the implementation of a State of Emergency (SoE), Trinidad and Tobago continues to grapple with an unrelenting surge in violent crimes, including homicides, kidnappings, and home invasions. Criminologists assert that the government’s reliance on emergency measures constitutes an ineffective, one-dimensional strategy that fails to address the complex nature of criminal activity in the nation.

Official statistics reveal a murder toll of 76 as of 2026, showing only a marginal decrease from 85 recorded during the previous year. The current administration, led by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has implemented two States of Emergency since assuming power in April 2025, citing escalating threats from organized criminal networks. This approach follows a similar emergency declaration by the preceding PNM government in December 2024.

Dr. Randy Seepersad, a prominent criminologist, explains that the SoE primarily targets gang-related violence, which accounts for approximately 40% of homicides. ‘The operational methodology involves saturating high-crime zones with joint police and military personnel, which can suppress retaliatory gang killings,’ Seepersad noted. However, he emphasized that 60% of murders—including those stemming from domestic disputes, altercations, and robberies—remain largely unaffected by emergency measures.

Fellow criminologist Daurius Figueira presented a more critical assessment, characterizing the SoE as fundamentally irrelevant to Trinidad’s evolving criminal landscape. He highlighted that emergency measures primarily instill fear in law-abiding citizens rather than deter hardened criminals. ‘In situations of extreme passion or organized criminal disputes, SoEs provide no persuasive deterrent,’ Figueira stated. ‘Transnational criminal operations continue unimpeded, with professional contract killers (sicarios) reemerging as significant threats in 2026.’

Both experts concur that the government’s repetitive use of emergency declarations without accompanying structural reforms represents a ‘dance of futility.’ Figueira particularly criticized the outdated national security apparatus and prison system, warning that correctional facilities risk being overtaken by organized crime. ‘The national security apparatus we have is the creation of politicians—it works for politicians but not for the average citizen,’ he concluded, describing the situation as a ‘deep crisis of civilization.’

The criminologists urge authorities to develop multifaceted strategies that address the diverse causes of violence beyond gang-related activity, emphasizing that sustainable solutions require modernization of security institutions and targeted interventions for domestic violence and other non-gang-related crimes.

Trinidad and Tobago’s telecommunications regulator has launched a formal review of recent television broadcasts containing derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, signaling potential enforcement actions against violators. The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) issued dual communications—a public statement and a direct letter to Guardian Media Ltd—emphasizing broadcasters’ legal obligations to maintain decency standards.

The controversy emerged from a political exchange in Parliament where Persad-Bissessar alleged criminal financing behind opposition headquarters, prompting former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley to respond with what many consider gender-based slurs during a CNC3 news broadcast on March 17. The term ‘jamette,’ historically denoting women of low social standing, has sparked widespread condemnation from government officials and civil society groups.

TATT specifically referenced Clause D9(a) of broadcast concessions, which prohibits content that ‘degrades or portrays in negative manner any person or group by reason of race, origin, class, religion or sex.’ The authority highlighted concerns about children potentially witnessing the derogatory remarks during broadcast hours, amplifying the negative impact on perceptions of the Prime Minister’s office.

Guardian Media Ltd’s CNC3 station received formal caution regarding its oversight responsibilities as a national broadcaster. TATT emphasized the necessity for ‘greater monitoring and due diligence’ to prevent offensive language violating concession agreements. The regulator confirmed ongoing examination of the contentious broadcast segments obtained through its Broadcast Content Monitoring system.

This incident has ignited broader discussions about media ethics and political discourse standards in Trinidad and Tobago. TATT maintains that upholding broadcasting standards is essential for fostering a ‘fair and respectful’ media environment reflective of national values.

In a powerful address to graduating students of Morvant Laventille Secondary School, Justice Frank Seepersad delivered a compelling message about personal agency and character development. Speaking at the school’s graduation ceremony held in Morvant on Thursday, the judge emphasized that geographical origins should never limit one’s potential, declaring that individual choices rather than environmental circumstances ultimately determine life trajectories.

Justice Seepersad articulated that sustained success emerges from daily practices of honesty, punctuality, and respect—qualities that form the bedrock of personal integrity. While acknowledging the value of ambitious dreaming, he cautioned that aspirations must be coupled with disciplined effort and conscientious work ethic to yield tangible results.

The judicial figure highlighted the transformative power of personal example, noting that graduates now serve as role models within their communities. He referenced Laventille’s remarkable cultural legacy, including the invention of the steelpan from discarded oil drums by pioneers like Winston “Spree” Simon, as evidence of extraordinary innovation emerging from challenging circumstances.

Celebrating the academic perseverance demonstrated by graduates who balanced domestic responsibilities and navigated difficult environments, Justice Seepersad nevertheless clarified that graduation signifies a commencement rather than conclusion. He warned that forthcoming decisions regarding education, employment, and social associations would carry profound lifelong implications.

The address concluded with an empowering charge: graduates were encouraged to perceive themselves not as products of their environment but as architects of their destiny, capable of transforming personal circumstances into meaningful achievements just as earlier generations transformed scrap metal into internationally celebrated musical instruments.

Authorities in Trinidad and Tobago are maintaining their investigative efforts regarding the destructive fire and subsequent explosion that completely devastated the Mitsuda Superstore located in Enterprise. Labour Minister Leroy Baptiste has provided an official update, confirming that while investigations are actively progressing, it remains premature to assign a definitive cause to the incident.

In a recent communication with the Express, Minister Baptiste detailed the collaborative approach being undertaken by two key agencies: the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service. He clarified that while the Fire Service currently holds the primary jurisdictional authority over the investigation, both entities are working in a coordinated manner to ascertain the facts.

The Minister relayed a statement from the executive director of the OSH Agency, which confirmed that safety inspectors are presently on-site conducting thorough enquiries as an integral component of the standard investigative procedure. This process is designed to methodically gather evidence and information.

Concurrently, the OSH Agency has seized the opportunity to reiterate to all employers their statutory obligations under the OSH Act. This mandate includes the critical necessity of maintaining operational fire extinguishers, possessing valid fire certification, and ensuring the completely secure storage of any hazardous materials or chemicals on business premises.

Minister Baptiste further elaborated on the Agency’s broader mission, noting, “OSHA confirms that inspections of warehouses and other facilities are conducted to foster safety. These inspections are executed both proactively and reactively to identify potential risk factors. Our inspectors routinely require industrial establishments to present a valid fire certificate during any investigation process.”

Emphasizing the preliminary stage of the investigation, Baptiste stated that the outcome of these detailed enquiries is expected to yield necessary clarity and information in the coming days.

The tragic event unfolded shortly after midday last Thursday on Longdenville Old Road. The initial fire was followed by a significant explosion, which led to the total destruction of the superstore. The repercussions were severe, resulting in the displacement of dozens of employees and causing damage to several nearby residences, which necessitated the evacuation of multiple residents.

In the aftermath, Mitsuda has announced that its branch in St. Augustine remains operational and continues to serve its customer base.